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Lesson 6: Accent with Containers

Around doors, lounging spots, and entrances, big containers full of blooming annuals bring life and softness to paved places and let you study plants up close. They add color and draw attention to where you want it. Eagleton's pots of impatiens, fuchsias, petunias, and begonias gather around his outdoor lounge, dining deck, and potting shed, as well as near doors and gates. "Be selective," he warns. "Containers require maintenance." Group pots for effect, and choose a main color, along with secondary, harmonizing hues. "With too many colors," he explains, "nothing dominates; there's no statement."

Shown: Ground-covering Geranium biokovo thrives in the shady side garden. To add interest along the stroll from backyard to street, a large pot is filled with annual phygelius, impatiens, and begonias.